Mary’s Song

Due to our reaction against our Roman Catholic heritage, especially in the times of the Reformation, Mary has always been a problematical figure for Anglicans.

We viscerally reacted against the questionable doctrines of the Immaculate Conception and the Assumption of Mary.  We frowned on the statues of her in niches or up by the altar.  We were uncertain as to the efficacy of prayers directed to her.  We pray straight to God or in Jesus’ name.

There’s a story told of a small middle-America town Baptist church.  Like many congregations going through extensive remodel, there was much to disagree about.  But the flash point came near the end of the project – what color should the new carpeting be?

Some wanted red as that seemed to be traditional and would brighten things up.  Add nice color.

Another faction proposed blue.  Soft pastel blue was what Mary wore.  (Never mind that no one knows what Mary wore.  Didn’t come up until much, much later in church tradition).

The Red-Carpet faction sarcastically asked, why are we as Baptists concerned that much about Mary.  That’s a Catholic thing.  We’re again’ it.

The Blue-Carpet group responded that Mary is the Mother of God.  She’s somewhat important.  She gave him birth and received his body from the cross.

On and on it went.  Until…Until…

There at the crossroads of this small community there are now two Baptist churches on either side of the highway.  One with red carpet and the other with blue.

Mary — as I’ve said before, it is important to our spirituality how we view her.  Is she, shy, demure – yes, and in pastel blue – the model for proper women of faith to be submissive to the demands of society and husbands?

Or does her song, the Magnificat, give us another spirituality?  When she belts this out, we see her as one tough woman, willing to bring a revolutionary message no matter the cost.

She will not be a little submissive milquetoast vessel for whatever.  She tells that intrusive angel, as she takes one step back, “If this is how it’s going to be, hold my beer and watch this!”  Hold my beer and watch this, indeed.

“Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for the Mighty One has done great things for me, holy is his name…

“He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts…

“He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly;

“He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich empty away.”[1]

This is the Mary on whom nothing is wasted. This is the Mary who bears the Savior of the world; who, in the words of one great saint, is God’s gate, the mother of Heaven’s king.  Her entire being swells with the blessedness of the angel’s greeting.

Mary has been described in many ways, but first of all, I think it is the fullness of the blessing she has received.  God in that annunciation filled her being rim-full.

When can you remember such a spiritual fullness?  Probably, as in that children’s story, The Polar Express.  When we were young, we were indeed able to experience the utter joy of Christmas.  It’s the story of Scrooge being reborn – living for the first time as he never lived before.  Joy just exuding from his soul.

This is how Mary invites us, even us cynical adults to enter into the gift of the Nativity.

Mary has been described as many things within Scripture and in our tradition, but for me – Blessedness is the beginning.

It’s the blessedness that filled my soul when I held the hand of a young, demure woman in a lovely white wedding dress at the altar and said I do with all my heart.

It’s the blessedness that filled my soul when I asked Christopher and Alexis, “Do you take this woman to be your lawful wedded wife?”  “Do you to take this man to be your lawful wedded husband,” and both came up with the correct answer: “I do.”

It’s the utter blessing I felt when a student we had sponsored called with the news, “Mr. Forney, guess what!  I got a free ride into Harvard.  Everything paid!”  Tears welled up in my eyes.

At the moments of the birth of my boys, that I could actually be present for those incredible events – it was all blessing.

It is the blessedness that filled my soul when hands were laid on my head at the altar and the bishop pronounced, “Take thou authority.”

It is the blessedness I know each time I experience when I get on the internet machine and bring up the K.I.N.D. Fund to send desks to schools in Malawi – to provide a scholarship for a girl to attend high school in that impoverished nation.  That I am able to offer such a priceless gift as education on behalf of some Christmas recipients is a moment of joy flooding my soul.

We’ve all known those fleeting moments when we were filled to the core of our being with overwhelming affirmation.  You’ve known these precious moments.  Just take a silent trip down memory lane.

That’s in part Mary’s song.

But this blessedness of Mary was more than an individual event.  She embraces her entire community with it, embraces all creation with this rich blessing.

God is in that moment lifting us weak out of dust, is filling those in need with good things.  In that moment returning creation to the lowly as the haughty are cast down.

This blessedness extends far beyond her, extends down through the ages to a community gathered beyond the limits of time and place.

Speaking of the powerful – Elon Musk comes immediately to mind.

To think that a private individual of ginormous wealth would have the ability and be in the position to overthrow the regular order of our legislative process is beyond the pale.  Madison and Jefferson must be rolling over in their graves.

For now, he may be able to threaten any lawmaker with an opponent armed with millions in cash to primary them – it’s absolutely surreal.  Certainly not the stuff of any viable democracy.  Preposterous!

Naively, I thought that with a rocket company and car company to run, he would have had his hands full.  Apparently, not so much!

And now Rand Paul is proposing him for Speaker of the House.  Wow!

But Mary has proclaimed it.  The days of the oligarchs and plutocrats will draw to a close.  These mighty will be cast down. Ordinary citizens, you and I, will be back in charge. 

She, in her song, embraces her community, especially the “least of these.”  In her blessing, God’s preference is proclaimed to be for the poor, the marginalized and cast-out.  The little guy or woman who will not benefit at all from this coming tax cut, or much of anything in the Project 2025 agenda coming down the pike.

Yet, in the little things let us rejoice with Mary.  In her pronouncement there is much joy to embrace all.  A silent, spiritual revolution!

As the French Jesuit, Pierre Teilhard de Chardin proclaimed: “By means of all created things, without exception, the Divine assails us, penetrates us and molds us.”  That is the message of Mary to each of us this Advent as we would dare approach that Holy Manger with awe and trembling.  Amen.

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[1] Luke 1:46 ff., NRSV.

December 22, 2024
Advent 4

Micah 5:2-5a; Canticle 15 – the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55);
Hebrews 10:5-10; Luke 1:39-45 “Mary’s Song”